This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing a display mechanism utilizing a scanning laser which addresses pixels on the device. In particular, the apparatus employs a liquid crystal display panel which interfaces with a two dimensional photocell matrix array. These photocells are individually addressed by a scanning laser and when addressed, the photocells utilizing the energy given by the laser beam send a charge to the liquid crystal display panel thus activating a pixel on the display screen. By selectively addressing photocells in the matrix formation, the desired display is formed on the liquid crystal display panel. A single laser or multiple lasers can be used to scan the photocell array which is similar to the functioning of an electron gun in a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to form an image. Unlike applications that use laser beams to reflect off a display screen, this device is capable of brighter outputs as the laser beam is used only to activate the liquid crystal display and uses other brighter lights that can be used to illuminate the display screen.
Prior art would involve passive liquid crystal displays which require I.C. drivers to address each pixel. These drivers are placed around the display screen increasing the overall size and also making it difficult to place two or more screens adjacent to each other without a space between them. Active liquid crystal displays require a transistor at each pixel's location increasing the complexity and cost with a limited yield in production. The advantages of this device are that unlike prior art, addressing the device does not require active electronics and hence the display screen can be made quite large, in addition to which pixels can be located at the extreme edge, as no electronics are required there. This enables screens to be placed adjacent to each other in a matrix fashion to create extremely large displays utilizing a multitude of smaller screens, with continuity across screens as no gaps are present. Conventional CRT's require a vacuum in the tube increasing the cost of manufacturing, and when in operation, the electron beam is susceptible to distortion by the earth's magnetic field. The power requirement for a CRT is considerably more than that required for the scanning laser in the present invention.
The device has potential applications from Computer Aided Design (CAD) work stations to cinema screens. Large screen implementation could also involve street displays and highway information displays. High definition television applications of the device are particularly advantageous in situations where conventional liquid crystal displays do not permit high resolution screens of large dimensions.